Enhancing online consumer purchases through analysis of past consumer purchases

Abstract

Enhancing online purchases based on a user's previous purchases by monitoring for a purchase receipt indicating the purchase of at least one product by the user; analyzing the purchase receipt to extract data; analyzing the extracted data; categorizing the at least one product purchased with the extracted data and storing the product and extracted data in a repository. At least one product indicated on the purchase receipt is compared to previous purchases in a same category stored in the repository; and if a product indicated on the purchase receipt is not the same as previous purchases in the same category, a notification is sent to the user regarding differences.

1 . A method of detecting potential errors in online purchases based on a user's previous purchases comprising the steps of:
 a computer monitoring for a purchase receipt indicating the purchase of at least one product by the user;   the computer analyzing the purchase receipt to extract data;   the computer analyzing the extracted data;   the computer categorizing the at least one product purchased with the extracted data and storing the product and extracted data in a repository;   the computer comparing the at least one product indicated on the purchase receipt to previous, historical purchases in a same category purchased by the user, stored in the repository;   the computer determining a difference between the at least one product indicated on the purchase receipt and previous, historical purchases in the same category purchased by the user;   the computer sending a notification to the user regarding the existence of a potential error based on the difference, with a suggested alternate product for purchase by the user; and   the computer presenting the user with access to the purchase receipt, permitting the user to alter the at least one product on the purchase receipt being purchased by the user online.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of the computer:
 extracting a shipping address of the user from the purchase receipt;   comparing the extracted shipping address to an address book of the user; and   if the shipping address does not match an address of the address book, sending a notification to the user regarding differences between the extracted shipping address and addresses in the address book of the user.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the address book comprises a user's address. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data extracted is selected from a group consisting of: delivery address for the purchase, shipping address for the purchase, product name; product description, product identifier, price, size, quantity, and date of order. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the notification to the user further comprises information which is different from the purchase receipt and the previous purchases. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the information is selected from a group consisting of: model number, size, product name, price, merchant ordered from, and product attribute. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A computer program product for enhancing online purchases based on a user's previous purchases, a computer comprising at least one processor, one or more memories, one or more computer readable storage media, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by the computer to perform a method comprising: the steps of:
 monitoring, by the computer, for a purchase receipt indicating the purchase of at least one product by the user;   analyzing, by the computer, the purchase receipt to extract data;   analyzing, by the computer, the extracted data;   categorizing, by the computer, the at least one product purchased with the extracted data and storing the product and extracted data in a repository;   comparing, by the computer, the at least one product indicated on the purchase receipt to previous, historical purchases in a same category purchased by the user, stored in the repository;   determining, by the computer, a difference between the at least one product indicated on the purchase receipt and previous, historical purchases in the same category purchased by the user;   sending a notification, by the computer, to the user regarding the existence of a potential error based on the difference, with a suggested alternate product for purchase by the user; and   presenting, by the computer, the user with access to the purchase receipt, by the computer, permitting the user to alter the at least one product on the purchase receipt being purchased by the user online.   
     
     
         9 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , further comprising the program instructions of:
 extracting, by the computer, an address of the user from the purchase receipt;   comparing, by the computer, the extracted address to an address book of the user; and   if the addresses do not match, sending, by the computer, a notification to the user regarding differences between the extracted shipping address and addresses in the address book of the user.   
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the address book comprises a user's address. 
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the data extracted is selected from a group consisting of: delivery address for the purchase, shipping address for the purchase, product name; product description, product identifier, price, size, quantity, and date of order. 
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the notification to the user comprises information which is different from the purchase receipt and the previous purchases. 
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the information is selected from a group consisting of: model number, size, product name, price, merchant ordered from, and product attribute. 
     
     
         14 . A computer system for enhancing online purchases based on a user's previous purchases, the computer system comprising a computer comprising at least one processor, one or more memories, one or more computer readable storage media having program instructions executable by the computer to perform the program instructions comprising:
 comparing, by the computer, the at least one product indicated on the purchase receipt to previous, historical purchases in a same category purchased by the user, stored in the repository;   determining, by the computer, a difference between the at least one product indicated on the purchase receipt and previous, historical purchases in the same category purchased by the user;   sending a notification, by the computer, to the user regarding the existence of a potential error based on the difference, with a suggested alternate product for purchase by the user; and   presenting, by the computer, the user with access to the purchase receipt, by the computer, permitting the user to alter the at least one product on the purchase receipt being purchased by the user online.   
     
     
         15 . The computer system of  claim 14 , further comprising the program instructions of:
 extracting, by the computer, an address of the user from the purchase receipt;   comparing, by the computer, the extracted address to an address book of the user; and   if the addresses do not match, sending, by the computer, a notification to the user regarding differences between the extracted shipping address and addresses in the address book of the user.   
     
     
         16 . The computer system of  claim 15 , wherein the address book comprises a user's address. 
     
     
         17 . The computer system of  claim 14 , wherein the data extracted is selected from a group consisting of: delivery address for the purchase, shipping address for the purchase, product name; product description, product identifier, price, size, quantity, and date of order. 
     
     
         18 . The computer system of  claim 14 , wherein the notification to the user comprises information which is different from between the purchase receipt and the previous purchases purchase. 
     
     
         19 . The computer system of  claim 18 , wherein the information is selected from a group consisting of: model number, size, product name, price, merchant ordered from, and product attribute. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled)